Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-21

cannot persuade her to leave it off. She
comes in so tired, and she is thin IS q
shadow, despite our long summer in the
country, where took her to rest and re.
cruit."
saw young lady pause st the foot OF
the New York Elevated Railroad station
the other day, and look up the long flight
or stairs with sigh.
"Oh, IL were only dressed like man.
she cried, chow l would skip up those
stairs! but my shoes are tight, my elias
tics are tight, my waist is tight, and my
gloves and collar are tight, so l can only
crawl up"
She was no exception to the rule, either
only in being frank about it.
But that very day l heard gentleman
comment pleasantly on the trim, neat
figure of this young lady, and her modest,
yet stylish mode of dress.
! To be absolutely comfortably attired
Tor walking, climbing stairs, spd riding,
TIE waist ought not to have even the re-
! strlction OF 3 whalebone, there ought to
be no awkward tournure 10 lean back
against, and the skirts should reach only
to the tops OF the boots. Yet we would
! sooner venture alone int the iuugles of
{
! tired in this manner.
! It is easier to suffer the martyrdom of
/ fashion.
We all desire to be pleasing in the eyes
/ or the lords OF creation; we are all
wounded If We receive neglect or ridl-
cule from them, and we have all noticed
that whatever our fathers, husbands,
lovers or brothers may say theoretically
| hat -, ILL 1L,~~
their admiration for handsomely
dressed woman, who combines good taste
with fashion.
1t is painful truth that the woman
who ignores fashion for comfort impairs
her usefulness, and brings upon herself
annoyance.
II she travels she meets with rudeness
and ridicule.
II she goes shopping she meets With
inattentiOn and discourtesy.
II she goes on an errand Of charity she
is looked upon as crank or an impostor.
Afashionsble costume, on the other
hand, is an open letter of credit.
The conductor looks after you, the
''saleslady" is attentive, the banker o.
sequious, and the usher of the church
finds the best pew for you. It is pitiful,
but it is true.
And so we prefer to bear physical sui
tering to mental and spiritual disturb,
ance.
A great deal hiss been said Of late con-
corning the decollette dress for ladies'.
Being myself Worshipper e. the shrine
OF beautiful woman, and an admirer Of
the nude in art, am perhaps untitled TO
discuss this subject impartlally.
I have seen immO6est dreseir0 Uhicb
shocked and disguised me, but 1t seems
to me the rule that American women
know where to draw the line.
l could never understand WHY the I'M
covering Of pretty arms and shoulders
Wss any more lmmodest than the uncov-
ering of pretty face. In Asia custom,
considers the latter improper.
Men exhibit sad unreasonableness in
this matter also. A pretty young
wife broke into tears one evening and con-
fided her trouble to me. She had Just
returned from reception, wearing q
close, high-necked dress. "John has
talked of nothing all the way home" she
said, "but the beauty and elegance OF
Mrs. S. He thinks her a nOdel of
good taste in dress. She was attlred in 8
low-necked sleeveless gown. Yet
would not let me wear my Wrecked
ttce wi the lace sleeves; he said W
immodest"
Ii John held his Wife's neck too sacred
to be gdzad upon by other eyes CAS- his
defenders would argue it was al least
very bad taste for him to expatiate on
the charms Of another woman's shout
ders. Had he been man of tact he
would have assured his wife that she was
thousand times more attractive in her
closely buttOned dress than MIS- S
in herE decolletej gown. But he proved
by word and act that he really admired
the decollete gown the more.
DecolleteA is French word from de-
colleteT, "to uncover the neck" It does
not signify any indecent display of the
person, although it is frequently improp-
erly used in that sense by the critics. So
long as it is the neck which is uncovered,
and the occasion is suitable, l am at
loss to find the indellcacy of this very
pretty custom.
Far more shocking to my sense of the
proprieties is the sight OF much jeWelry
worn in daylight and in street cars. Pre-
cious gems seem to me to belong to the
night almost as exclusively as the stars
of heaven. But the woman herself is the
most precious gem Of them all, and un-
less she is truthful, unselfish, chaste and |
intelligent no amount of beautiful apparel |
or fashionable attire can win her lasting |
As common glass set In the rarest gold
Would cause a careful conpoisseur TO frown |
Good taste must shrink, offended to benold
y coarse-grained woman IN a line ,pun |
gown.
Her gems should be Ike flashes from her mind
Her dress the sweet expression of her heart.
Mess this perfect harmony we find,
There is no worth nor beauty in the art
- ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
Hunts Cure Tor I'll skin diseases
aguaranteed9" ~ ~